


Munitions Girls

by cassanabaratheon



Category: Downton Abbey
Genre: AU, F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-09-15
Updated: 2012-09-15
Packaged: 2017-11-14 07:57:55
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,238
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/513036
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cassanabaratheon/pseuds/cassanabaratheon
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>AU: WW2 munitions factory.<br/>For a moment they said nothing, hands still locked together as Sarah's eyes gently examined her. When she smiled a little, Cora couldn't help but smile back.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Munitions Girls

Elsie Hughes looked at the woman before her, glanced down at the paper with all her referral notes and credentials then sighed heavily. Getting to her feet she eyed the woman's hair and clothes and everything about her shouted high society. Well, that would have to change, Elsie thought but inwardly wondered if the woman would stay long enough. Most of them had good intentions but when the going got tough they crumbled and fled back to what they knew best, sipping tea whilst trying to think of ways that would entertain them under the guise of raising money for the soldiers. This one looked like she would barely make it through the week but Elsie had her orders (neatly printed in black and white) and couldn't refuse.

"Very well then," she said eventually and the woman smiled a little. "I'll fetch Sarah."

"Sarah?" Cora asked.

"She will look after you and show you what to do," Elsie replied as she stepped out of her office and murmured to the secretary outside. Both of them glanced back at Cora, making her feel uncomfortable, before the secretary left to find this Sarah.

Elsie returned and sat back behind her desk whilst Cora stood there. "Ethel's gone to fetch her. I do wish you would sit down."

"Oh, yes," Cora did as she was told and in her head prayed that Ethel would get back soon. She did and as the door opened, a woman – Sarah, Cora presumed – came in. She glanced at Cora then turned to Elsie with a raised eyebrow.

"What's this?"

"Sarah, this is the new girl, Cora. I want you to look after her."

"Me? But I had to help Gwen last time. Can't you ask Vera?"

Elsie raised her brows. "You know very well that Vera is hardly responsible enough to care for herself let alone a new girl."

"What about Edith?"

Cora felt rightly put out by the conversation taking place as if she didn't exist and it almost made her want to get up and leave. Almost. She wasn't going to run away, she would do this and prove to everyone she wasn't some weakling.

"Fine," Sarah sighed and then looked at Cora then back to Elsie. "But this is the last time."

"Yes of course," Elsie said but without much conviction. "Well, good luck then and any problems just ask Sarah or me. Oh and welcome."

Cora took that as time to leave and stood up. She shook Elsie's hand and then almost tripped after Sarah who was already half way out of the door. Sarah looked slightly amused as she glanced to see the woman keeping up with her and walked out into the small yard. Cora wondered for a moment what they were doing out here but decided to just go along with it.

"Ever worked before?"

"You mean in a factory?" Cora asked and Sarah turned to her.

"You're American?"

"Yes. But I've lived in England for years now. I'm Cora Levinson," she said stretching out her hand. After a second, Sarah took it up and lifted her eyes to look straight at her. Sarah's skin was slightly calloused but warm and her grip was strong. For a moment they said nothing, hands still locked together as Sarah's eyes gently examined her. When she smiled a little, Cora couldn't help but smile back.

"Sarah O'Brien. Look, it's not that I mind per say about training new girls," she started and let go of Cora's hand. "It's just that I don't really want to waste my time on someone who will just give up."

"I won't."

"No? What about all the society life back in London?"

"How do you know?"

Sarah smirked. "Look at you. Doesn't take a genius to work out that you're rich and used to the finer things in life."

"Well, that may be but I won't quit," Cora saw Sarah raise her eyebrow and added more sternly, "I won't."

"Okay love," Sarah raised her hands in mock defence. "I believe you."

Cora frowned unsure if Sarah was taking her seriously but then sighed. Well, she wouldn't be the first, she thought. Not even her own family took her seriously.

Sensing that she may have hurt the other woman's feelings, Sarah lightly nudged her arm. "You alright?"

"Just no one takes me seriously," Cora murmured, twisting her fingers together. "And I am serious."

"Why do you want to do this?"

Cora glanced at her. "Because it's the right thing to do."

"Is it?" Sarah cocked her head to the right. "Do you want to help or do you feel as if you should?"

"What's the difference?"

"Well, there's the genuine want or there's the pressure that you're somehow expected to help like a lot of you ladies seem to be doing. Trying to raise money or working when none of you really want to, but since it will look good-"

"I'm not doing this to make myself look good!" Cora interrupted angrily. "I want to help. I don't want to sit idly by watching everyone do something but I'm all safely tucked up in my house. I want to feel like I'm making some sort of contribution!"

"That's fine then," Sarah said then after a moment added. "Do you smoke?"

"What? No," Cora frowned.

"Mind if I do?"

She shook her head and watched Sarah dig into the pocket of her overalls and pull out a cigarette and a small box of matches. As Sarah dragged in a lung full of smoke, her eyes slid closed momentarily, giving Cora time to examine her. She was quite pretty, she thought, in a slightly roughened way and Cora had noticed she had very lovely eyes and hair colour (well, of what she could see that wasn't covered by the blue head scarf)… Sarah opened her eyes and caught her staring, making Cora flush a little.

"Haven't had one in days," she mumbled and carefully exhaled. "Got to ration these 'en all."

Cora nodded along and felt Sarah eye her once again. "When do I get to see where I'll be working?"

"'Old your horses love, first I've got to show you where you'll be stayin' and you will need to change," Sarah said indicating to the pale blue dress she had on. "'ardly fitting."

"Yes," Cora bit her lip looking down and feeling a little foolish that she had chosen such a dress to wear.

"Though you look very lovely in it," Sarah added and Cora, for some reason she didn't know, felt herself blush.

"Thank you. If you would ever like to borrow…"

Sarah laughed suddenly. "Oh love, I don't think so. Lovely offer but you see, I'm not as skinny as you are nor as pretty."

"You are pretty," Cora said without thinking and further blushed as Sarah's eyebrows rose up.

"Is that so?" she smiled broadly then dropped her finished cigarette onto the floor. "Well, come along, best show around before old Hughes finds us and nags at me for dallyin' around."

Cora followed her, keeping in time with her strides and thought that perhaps she had just made a friend. Sarah side-glanced her and inwardly shook her head. Pretty indeed, she gave a mental chuckle. Well, this time round she might actually enjoy teaching someone the ropes and she told herself that it had nothing to do with how attractive she found the American woman.

**Author's Note:**

> Might continue.


End file.
